Hello everyone, just thought I'd post an update. I finally got into a couple steelhead up on the Trinity River in northern california. My cheapo phone doesn't take good pictures, but I have proof! lolol

So let me see if I can figure this out here...

And one more

I had another one hooked, but I lost him as he ran down the river into the strong current. Oh well...

From the looks of those fish, they been on the rocks for a while....dark boots.

Not really sure what "dark boots" means but both of those fish were out of the water for less than 45 seconds. I am a very conscientious angler and am not new to the sport or the needs of fish.

That being said thank you for the good words and it was a great time. Those fish I supported back into the water and after no time shot back out into the river.

I am not sure what the first responder was really trying to say (fredaevans) but we are fly fishers/anglers and we respect and learn about the fish. I have caught enough fish to understand their needs and would never put a fish at risk unless I was going to eat it.

I know fish and have caught more than I could or would ever want to try to count. I am not a novice and while no offense is intended by (fredaevans) it was implied. Fish more, insult less; even if "no offense" was intended....

Not really sure what "dark boots" means but both of those fish were out of the water for less than 45 seconds. I am a very conscientious angler and am not new to the sport or the needs of fish.

That being said thank you for the good words and it was a great time. Those fish I supported back into the water and after no time shot back out into the river.

I am not sure what the first responder was really trying to say (fredaevans) but we are fly fishers/anglers and we respect and learn about the fish. I have caught enough fish to understand their needs and would never put a fish at risk unless I was going to eat it.

I know fish and have caught more than I could or would ever want to try to count. I am not a novice and while no offense is intended by (fredaevans) it was implied. Fish more, insult less; even if "no offense" was intended....

Thanks again king joe for the good word.

Thanks for NOT taking offense to my words as none were intended. Here in the Great Lakes, the term "Boot" refers to spawned out salmonids...typically the pacific salmon right before they die (dark and beaten) but for fresh spawned steels, they to can be dark and somewhat beaten looking....sort of like the ones you caught. And perhaps, some of what Fredevans was saying when he asked of they were post or pre-spawn fish.

also, I agree with some others here, you can get a picture of a fish without hauling them out onto dry rocks, I've done similar acts in my few years of fishing and have done much worse, but learning is something that one continues to do throughout their life and I continue to learn better ways of handling fish.
So take offense to this or learn, it does not matter to me, but just because a steelhead may "run into rocks" on his own does not give us the go ahead to give them further stress after we jab a hook in their mouth and drag them in with our fancy rods/reels/flies (which I do love to do)
So please, just keep them in the water as much as possible, especially post spawners, they're worn out from all the sex n stuff

Late Summer run or early Winter fish? Being on the rocks like that I hope he/she was intended for dinner.

No offence intended with the above.
fae

I tend to concur with Fred and some others. Steelhead are a very valuable commodity and although we want to document success they should not be placed on shore. Removing them from the river is illegal in Alaska.

Even when done with a phone, a picture like this will draw no criticism.